Melt-in-Your-Mouth Eggless Coconut Cookie Bars: A Buttery Tropical Treat

Are you dreaming of an escape from the chill of winter? Longing for sunshine, sandy beaches, and the gentle sway of palm trees? Our Coconut Cookie Bars are here to whisk you away! Imagine biting into a delicate, buttery cookie that practically melts in your mouth, filling your senses with the sweet, tropical essence of coconut. These delightful shortbread bars are not just a treat for your taste buds; they’re a mini-vacation in every bite, designed to bring a touch of warmth and sunshine into your day.

Forget the layers of winter clothing, the biting wind chill, and the monotonous grey outside. It’s time to indulge in something truly special and incredibly comforting: my signature Coconut Cookie Bars! These aren’t just any cookies; they’re a carefully crafted, eggless coconut shortbread experience that promises a buttery texture and a rich, authentic coconut flavor that will transport you to a sun-drenched island. Whether you enjoy them fresh from the oven or adorned with a creamy coconut milk frosting, these bars are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser and a perfect antidote to the cold.

Inspired by the beloved melt-in-your-mouth quality of my orange shortbread cookies, these tropical delights take that classic texture and infuse it with vibrant coconut. As traditional shortbread cookies, they naturally require no eggs or baking powder, making them a fantastic addition to my collection of delicious eggless desserts. This recipe is perfect for those with egg allergies, or simply a smart choice when egg prices are soaring, offering a simple yet elegant solution for a delightful homemade treat.

While these Coconut Cookie Bars are absolutely divine on their own, a luscious coconut frosting elevates them to another level of indulgence. I often top mine with a rich coconut frosting to intensify the tropical nuttiness in every single bite, creating a harmonious symphony of flavors and textures. However, if you prefer simplicity or are short on time, these bars are equally irresistible served straight from the 8×8 pan. The frosting is an optional step, but certainly one that enhances the experience without being strictly necessary.

Essential Ingredients for Your Perfect Coconut Cookie Bars

Crafting these melt-in-your-mouth coconut shortbread bars requires a few key ingredients, each playing a crucial role in achieving their signature taste and texture. Here’s a closer look at what you’ll need to gather:

• Butter: The foundation of any good shortbread, high-quality unsalted butter is paramount. Its rich fat content is what gives these bars their distinctive melt-in-your-mouth texture, contributing to their luxurious and tender crumb. Ensure your butter is softened to room temperature for optimal creaming.
• Granulated Sugar: I specifically choose granulated sugar over powdered sugar for this recipe. Granulated sugar contributes to a crisper edge and a delightful slight chewiness, whereas powdered sugar tends to result in a softer, more crumbly texture. This choice ensures the perfect shortbread snap.
• Lime Zest: While optional, a touch of fresh lime zest introduces a bright, zesty counterpoint to the sweetness of the coconut. It adds a refreshing lift and complexity, enhancing the overall tropical flavor profile. Don’t skip it if you love a hint of citrus!
• Coconut Extract: This is a non-negotiable ingredient for truly prominent coconut flavor. Shredded coconut alone often provides a subtle note, but the extract amplifies it, ensuring that the delicious coconut taste shines through in every bite. It’s the secret to making your bars unmistakably tropical.
• Vanilla Extract: Even with other extracts, a small amount of vanilla extract rounds out the flavors beautifully. It adds a warm, familiar depth that complements the coconut and brightens the overall profile.
• All-Purpose Flour: The structural component that binds all the ingredients together, creating a cohesive dough. Measured correctly, it ensures the cookie bars hold their shape while maintaining their tender consistency.
• Salt: A pinch of salt is essential for balancing the sweetness and enhancing all the other flavors. It prevents the cookie bars from tasting bland and brings out the best in the butter and coconut.
• Sweetened Shredded Coconut: I typically use sweetened flaked coconut because it’s widely available and adds both texture and additional sweetness. The flakes provide a lovely chewiness and visual appeal within the bar.

Understanding Coconut Extract: Why It’s a Game-Changer

Coconut extract is a concentrated flavoring made by steeping coconut meat in alcohol, similar to how homemade vanilla extract is produced. While I generally strive to limit specialty ingredients, coconut extract is genuinely indispensable if you want your desserts to deliver an authentic, vibrant coconut taste.

Recipes like my small coconut cake and chocolate coconut cookies truly rely on it because, without this concentrated flavor, the natural coconut taste from shredded coconut can often be too subtle or get lost amidst other ingredients. A bottle of quality coconut extract will open up a world of possibilities for truly tropical baking, allowing you to explore more of my delightful recipes using coconut extract.

Simple Steps to Making Your Own Coconut Cookie Bars

Get ready to create these incredibly easy and utterly delicious shortbread coconut cookies. The process is straightforward, ensuring a delightful baking experience even for novice bakers. Here’s a detailed breakdown of how to achieve perfect results:

1. Cream the Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened butter, granulated sugar, lime zest, coconut extract, and vanilla extract. Beat these ingredients together on medium-high speed until the mixture becomes wonderfully light and fluffy. This step is crucial, as, without eggs or baking powder, this aeration is what provides the essential lift and delicate texture to your shortbread bars. Scrape down the sides of the bowl periodically to ensure everything is thoroughly combined.
2. Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the all-purpose flour, salt, and sweetened shredded coconut to the creamed mixture. Mix on low speed, or by hand, until a cohesive dough begins to form. Be careful not to overmix; just combine until no dry streaks of flour remain. The dough should be soft but manageable.
3. Press into Pan: Lightly grease and line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal later. Transfer the dough into the prepared pan. Using your hands or the back of a spoon, evenly pat the dough into the bottom of the pan, pressing firmly to create a compact, uniform layer. This ensures even baking.
4. Bake to Perfection: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the cookie bars for 25-28 minutes. You’ll know they’re ready when the edges are lightly golden brown and the center no longer appears wet (it will still feel soft and puffy to the touch). Avoid overbaking, as shortbread is meant to be tender, not crisp throughout. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool completely in the pan before cutting or frosting.

Once cooled, your coconut shortbread bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, whether you choose to frost them or enjoy them plain.

Elevate Your Coconut Bar Cookies with Frosting (or Not!)

At this stage, your freshly baked coconut bar cookies are absolutely delicious and ready to be enjoyed as is. Their rich, buttery, and subtly sweet coconut flavor is a treat in itself. However, for those who crave an extra layer of indulgence and a truly show-stopping dessert, adding a frosting can transform these simple bars into something extraordinary.

To really double down on that tropical vacation vibe, I highly recommend using my creamy coconut frosting. It’s made with coconut milk and ensures that every bite is bursting with an intense coconut flavor, perfectly complementing the shortbread base. For an extra touch of elegance and texture, sprinkle a generous amount of additional coconut flakes on top of the frosted bars – it makes them look as good as they taste!

If you’re worried that a coconut-on-coconut approach might be too much for your palate, or if you simply wish to introduce another dimension of flavor, there are fantastic alternatives. A bright and zesty lemon buttercream frosting would provide a delightful tangy contrast that beautifully highlights the coconut. Alternatively, a sweet and fruity strawberry frosting can add a burst of fresh flavor, creating a wonderful pairing with the tropical notes of the bars.

For those who love the tang of cream cheese, consider a strawberry cream cheese frosting or a raspberry cream cheese frosting. These options are incredibly delicious, but do remember that any frosting containing cream cheese will require your coconut cookie bars to be refrigerated after frosting to maintain their freshness and food safety. Always ensure they are brought back to room temperature for the best texture and flavor before serving!

Tips for Baking Flawless Coconut Cookie Bars

• Softened Butter is Key: Ensure your butter is truly at room temperature. It should be soft enough to indent with your finger but not melted. This allows it to cream properly with the sugar, creating air pockets for a light, fluffy texture.
• Don’t Overmix the Flour: Once you add the flour, mix only until just combined. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, which can lead to tough, dense cookie bars instead of the desired tender shortbread.
• Press Firmly and Evenly: When patting the dough into the pan, make sure it’s an even layer. This ensures uniform baking, so all your bars cook at the same rate and have a consistent texture.
• Watch for Doneness: Shortbread is delicate. Bake until the edges are lightly golden, but the center still looks pale and slightly puffy. It will firm up as it cools. An overbaked shortbread can be dry and crumbly.
• Cool Completely Before Cutting/Frosting: Patience is a virtue here! Cutting warm shortbread can cause it to crumble. Allow the bars to cool entirely in the pan before lifting them out and slicing. If frosting, make sure they are completely cold, or your frosting will melt.
• Embrace the Extract: As mentioned, coconut extract is vital for a robust coconut flavor. Don’t rely solely on shredded coconut for taste; the extract delivers that essential punch.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Coconut Cookie Bars

Can I use unsweetened shredded coconut?

Yes, you can! If you use unsweetened shredded coconut, your bars will be less sweet. You might want to slightly increase the sugar content by 1-2 tablespoons if you prefer a sweeter bar, or simply enjoy the less sweet version, especially if adding a sweet frosting.

Can I make these dairy-free?

To make these dairy-free, you would need to substitute the butter with a high-quality plant-based butter alternative. Ensure it’s a brand that bakes well, as some alternatives can alter the texture. The overall flavor profile might shift slightly, but it’s a viable option.

How should I store leftover coconut cookie bars?

Store unfrosted or buttercream-frosted bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. If frosted with a cream cheese-based frosting, they must be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days due to the dairy content. Allow refrigerated bars to come to room temperature before serving for the best texture.

Can I freeze these cookie bars?

Yes, these cookie bars freeze beautifully! Once completely cooled, wrap unfrosted bars tightly in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. They can be frozen for up to 2-3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving or frosting. Frosted bars (especially with buttercream) can also be frozen, but ensure they are individually wrapped after the frosting has set.

What if I don’t have lime zest?

Lime zest is optional but highly recommended for its bright flavor. If you don’t have it, the bars will still be delicious with just the coconut and vanilla. You could try a tiny pinch of lemon zest as an alternative if you have it, but it will slightly change the flavor profile.

More Irresistible Cookie Bar Recipes to Explore

If you fell in love with the ease and deliciousness of this coconut shortbread recipe, you’re in for a treat! Cookie bars are fantastic because they offer all the goodness of cookies with less individual shaping, making them perfect for potlucks, parties, or simply a quick dessert fix. Be sure to check out some of my other popular cookie bar recipes:

• Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars: A timeless classic in bar form, perfect for sharing.
• Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars: Warm cinnamon-sugar goodness, often topped with a unique apple butter frosting.
• Gingerbread Cookie Bars: A festive and cozy treat, combining spicy gingerbread with gooey s’mores elements.
• Brownie Cookie Bars: A rich fusion of fudgy brownies and chewy cookies with a hint of spicy Mexican hot chocolate.
• Smores Cookie Bars: All the campfire deliciousness of s’mores packed into an easy-to-bake bar.

Ready to bake your way to a sunny state of mind? These eggless Coconut Cookie Bars are more than just a dessert; they’re an experience. Perfect for gifting, sharing, or simply treating yourself, they embody tropical comfort in every buttery bite. Get baking and let the flavors transport you!

Coconut Cookie Bars

Yield:
16 squares

Prep Time:
15 minutes

Cook Time:
25 minutes

Total Time:
40 minutes

These Coconut Cookie Bars are eggless coconut shortbread cookies baked in an 8×8 pan that will melt in your mouth with their buttery cookie texture. Serve straight from the pan or decorate with a coconut milk frosting.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup (6 ounces or 12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon lime zest
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 + 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut (plus more for garnish)
• Coconut Frosting (get recipe here)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl on medium-high speed (with paddle attachment if using stand mixer), beat together butter, sugar, lime zest, coconut extract, and vanilla until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
3. Scrape down the bowl then gradually add in flour and salt until dough forms. Add the coconut.
4. Pat the dough into the bottom of the pan. Bake 25-28 minutes until edges are lightly brown and middle doesn’t look wet (it’ll be soft and puffy). Cool completely.
5. Make frosting then spread onto bars (get recipe here). Garnish with additional shredded coconut.

   Store in airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Notes

• You can also frost your bars with Lemon Buttercream Frosting and Strawberry Frosting.
• Enjoyed this recipe? Check out my Chocolate Coconut Cookies and Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars.

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• 8×8 Square Pan

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First published March 30, 2014